Behind the Waterfall
A NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS OF SILVER FALLS MEMBERS
The Coolest Place in the Park
By Patti Lindquist
Come with me to the coolest place in the Park – the Stone Kitchen Shelter. Even on the warmest day it is a delight to volunteer in this unique historic building.
It was built by the Civilian Conservation Corp and completed in 1937. Interestingly it is constructed of sandstone, probably from the Coon’s Hollow Quarry. With the exception of the log cabin all other construction in the park was done with basalt. My personal theory is that they were sick and tired of dealing with the dense weighty basalt!!
It was built as a picnic refuge in our temperate rainforest. Had you made the trek to the Park in 1940 you would have found the shelter inviting – dry wood provided, a huge fireplace, cooking stoves, and even warm water from a tank in the chimney. The style was rustic, and although it is simple there are delightful touches such as the ornate iron lamp fixtures and the wonderful pattern on the folding doors. If you were lucky and the weather was good you could fold them all back and let the sunshine in.
The building is listed on the National Historic Registry. It has seen some changes over the years – skylights were installed, later removed; the stoves were filled in with cement as a precautionary measure, later removed; it was partially painted with the uniform green demanded by the state in the 1950s, later removed, and has seen several renovations.
During the last renovation when some beams were replaced CCC graffiti was discovered on the old beams – names, dates, etc.
The stone work needs repair. The vision of the Friends is to see it restored and open to the public, perhaps as a museum.
In the meantime it is a pleasure to acquaint visitors with this wonderful building when we can.
As you listen quietly in this magnificent old structure you can hear murmurs – and wish you could decipher the tales that could be told of days past.
Ransom Notes
By Susan Ransom, President, Friends of Silver Falls
Greetings Friends of Silver Falls Family,
Well, we have left behind another busy summer up at the Park. It was so good to see people out and about and enjoying nature and companionship.
This picture is of my best friend Pauline and I up at the Park a couple weeks ago. Whenever friends come to visit me, the Park is the first place I take them to; and I’m sure it is the same for many of you.
I would like to give a shout out to some of our wonderful volunteers, who give so generously of their time and talents to enrich our visitors experience. Patti, Shelly, Bill, Julie, Mike, Allison, Judi, Jim, Earl, Nancy, Cindy and Ann – you know who you are! These volunteers participated in guided hikes, opening the Stone Kitchen Shelter for visitors, helping with Field Trips, doing Discovery Tables with nature artifacts and information, and working the Nature Store to keep it open each and every day! The efforts of these ‘Friends’ cannot be overestimated; they greatly add to the enjoyment and satisfaction of our guests. There are many opportunities to volunteer and be a part of the wonderful experience of ‘giving back’. If you are interested in volunteering you can reach out on the Friends of Silver Falls website: www.friendsofsilverfalls.net.
Don’t forget to check our website regularly to keep updated on all that is going on with FOSF.
Let me leave you with this quote:
‘In the forest, I hear myself better’
(~Hike Country)
Tree Climbing at Silver Falls
By Leo Rosen Fischer
Visitors can now see Oregon’s beauty from a totally new perspective- from the top of 200-300 ft. trees at Silver Falls State Park! These old-growth trees are not only giants, they are also around 300 to 500 years old. This unique experience is made possible by the business: Tree Climbing at Silver Falls. The experience is offered at Silver Falls State Park, one of Oregon’s largest and most popular parks.
The guided experience takes around 4 hours, is open to anyone who is 8 years old or older, and starts at $149 per person. There is also a sunset climb, and photography services available. This tree climbing service is a new activity in Oregon State Parks, however the owner, Leo Rosen-Fischer, has also been running tree climbing experiences in Washington for 10 years. Leo says the opportunity to grow his business and expand to Oregon was too good to pass up and only took about 2 years to get the permits after reviews. Silver Falls State Park is a prime location because it is a popular destination and close to urban cities like Salem and Portland.
Tree climbing guides are offered 3 times a day, 7 days a week. The morning climb starts at 9am, the afternoon climb at 1pm and the sunset climb at 5pm. There is room for up to 10 people on one tree plus the guides for each climbing session. Visitors can choose to book a private climb for an additional cost if they are interested.
Many people may wonder what kind of shape they need to be in in order to do this activity- that’s a great question! Anyone can do this activity. The most common way to get up the ropes is by using hand ascenders that are connected to foot straps. This requires a squat motion to move up the rope and while most people can do it; it does take some physical work. For those who are not physically able to do the movement, there is a battery-powered ascender that can bring a client up the rope with a push of a button, so they don’t have to do any of the physical work to get to the top of the canopy. Using this battery ascender comes with an additional $75 cost because of the extra wear and tear on the equipment.
The view from every height of the trees is beautiful and the view from the top is especially stunning! it includes the forest, rivers and mountains in the distance. The sunset climb even includes the sun setting over the Willamette Valley plus the possibility of seeing glow-in-the-dark lichen or bugs with the provided black light head lamps. The guides also take the time during the climb to talk to guests about the ecology of old-growth forest and the importance of preserving forest to turn into old-growth forest, something that is interesting and important to the owner and the business model. During the climbs, talking about the importance of old-growth trees related to the cycle of forest fires and specific wildlife species becomes even more impactful when participants are up in the canopy of these beautiful trees. Does being at the top of a 250 ft tree sound too cool to be true? Come check it out for yourself!
You're Invited!
By Chelsea Sims, Administrator
FOSF hosts educational workshops for volunteers and staff and we'd like to extend an invitation to our wonderful supporters, YOU! Join Kim Maley for a Bat Chat and learn all the reasons why we love bats.
October 18th 2:00-3:00pm at North Falls Meeting Hall
Be sure to check the membership portal for more details and upcoming invitations!
In Loving Memory
Kathleen Eggiman 1947-2022
Editor’s note:
I am certain that anyone who knew Kathy would have wonderful memories of her. She was one of the nicest individuals I have ever met. She began volunteering in the Nature Store in 2010, and I was fortunate to have been able to work many shifts in there with her, which were always a joy. We also were both members of the board of directors of FOSF, and she was most recently the vice president of the board. She will be sorely missed by all. Following are two tributes to her memory. The first is written by Earl McCollum, longtime volunteer and board member.
Kathy Eggiman-Jimenez
By Earl McCollum
The Friends of Silver Falls administrator asked me to write something about Kathy and I feel supremely inadequate for the task.
How do you write something about a person whose very footsteps light a path for others to follow?
Kathy once said that she thought she and I might be related since both our families have been in the Silverton area for many years. We could not find any physical relationships, but we found a spiritual connection in our mutual love for the Silver Falls area. We served together on the Friends of Silver Falls board. We both volunteered at the Nature Store and Kathy spent some time serving as the assistant manager of the store. Each of us took walks in the park and touted the park as a place for rejuvenation of the soul to anyone who would listen.
We played different roles on the board. My efforts were always focused on the board serving its role properly as a non-profit public board. Kathy was always working to have the board make a significant contribution to the various functions of the park. Many of the projects backed by the Friends of Silver Falls owe a large debt of gratitude to Kathy’s leadership and effort.
None of us are irreplaceable but it will take a very special person to fill the gap in the Friends of Silver Falls organization left by this wonderful woman.
We will miss you dearly, Kathy. and know that wherever you go you will leave a shining light for others to follow.
Editor’s note:
Kathy’s daughter, Julie Leppert, posted the following wonderful tribute on her mother’s Facebook page on August 3, 2022. It is re-printed here with her permission.
Kathy Eggiman got her wings today.
She went peacefully. When she crossed, she had loved ones at her side and many in spirit beside her.
In Heaven, she was pulled in by her brothers Dean and Dennis who embraced her like only big brothers can do. They guided her into the arms of her nephew, Jeff Eggiman, who gave her a giant bear hug and she got to hear his contagious laughter again. She's also trading jokes with her other nephew, Robby Merrell, and they're sharing a good laugh. She then got squeezed by her mom; they are going to have such a good time together catching up. She was greeted "hey Sassikat" by her dad. She was a Daddy's girl. She got to hear "hey Mom" from Steve Ellis, a man she loved like a son.
She got to meet up with all her aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, coworkers, neighbors, and friends who have gone before her. She got sniffed and jumped on by all the pets she loved.
As shocking and sudden as this was, we seek comfort that our Mom is not suffering anymore. Had she survived this, her road ahead would have been full of painful health issues that would have robbed her of her joy and quality of life, and she did not deserve that.
I also seek comfort that she loved God and was saved.
Mom was able to hear ALL of the comments you left. My family and I thank you for the prayers and kind words you shared. If you are willing, we would appreciate your support as we journey through our grief.
Rest in peace Mommy
---Kathy's daughter, Julie
Star Party
“We All Need a Little Space”
By Kim Maley, Park Interpreter
Day-Use Activities
Beginning on Friday, August 19 park visitors in the South Falls Historic District had opportunities to whet their appetite with all things Space related.
Friends’ volunteer CarolBeth and PRA Vicki engaged visitors with a How High is Space activity and space jokes!
Park visitors traveled along a scale model of our solar system as they hike the Rim Trail.
Volunteers
Friends’ volunteers Mike and Jackie joined other volunteers Loren, Chelsea, Kaity, and Carl in greeting over 200 visitors, making sure everyone had glowsticks, star wheels, and Astronomy Scavenger Hunts.
Special Guest Astronomers
Astronomy Club NightSky 45 once again brought their telescopes and knowledge. Visitors enjoyed looking at really cool space stuff and learning all about astronomy topics like, “What is a double star?” and “Why are some stars red and some blue?”
Starlink (Space X) made an appearance, amazing visitors but frustrating the astronomers who wanted the focus to remain on celestial bodies and not man-made objects!
Friends of Silver Falls Administrator Chelsea Sims provided relevant Nature Store items available for purchase.
There's a Bat on my Desk!
By Chelsea Sims, Administrator
When you’ve been working at Silver Falls for a while, critter encounters are somewhat routine. But for some of us, it’s a welcome reminder that we are the visitors in this beautiful park we call “ours”. No matter what our place is here, the wildlife are the true residents.
As of late, I’ve had the pleasure of encountering some fun and not so fun residents of Silver Falls. The first being a short-tailed weasel who wanted to play hide and seek for about an hour in the lodge. This curious little friend came close enough to sniff a few toes before scurrying back to the safety of our bathroom. After getting some cute photos and videos, our lodge weasel found it’s way back outside.
Then there was the not-so-fun nest of flying ants that suddenly hatched from beneath the Nature Store on what was supposed to be a calm Monday afternoon. Thankfully, they quickly flew away to form nests elsewhere.
But the best encounter was the big brown bat that roosted on my desk. There I was making spreadsheets and paying invoices, when a rustle about a foot from the computer caught my attention. At first it seemed like a big bug, but after closer examination it was clear. It was a bat! This little guy nestled up for the day, only to be rudely awakened by the light I had turned on two inches away. Just like the weasel, the bat was gone the next morning.
All this to say, I enjoy being a long-term visitor here and hope we are able to continue to preserve this special place for future generations.
Membership Portal
By Chelsea Sims, Administrator
This will be the final printed edition of Behind the Waterfall. In an effort to enrich content and reduce printing, FOSF has decided to move to a paperless newsletter. Behind the Waterfall is available through our new membership portal at friendsofsilverfalls.net/members. Here, you will be able to access membership discounts, view previous newsletters, and more!
All members were sent an invitation to sign up for the portal in June. If you need a new link/invite, please contact us at admin@friendsofsilverfalls.net or 503-873-8735. When you renew/sign-up on the website, you will automatically have access to the portal.